William Schulz

William F. Schulz, was appointed executive director of Amnesty International USA in 1994, and has traveled around the world in that capacity – almost emerging as the main spokesperson for AI. In 1997 he led an Amnesty mission to Liberia to investigate atrocities committed during the civil war there and returned to Northern Ireland with the human rights organization in 1999 to insist that human rights protections be incorporated into the peace process.

An ordained Unitarian Universalist minister, he came to Amnesty after serving 15 years with the Unitarian Universalist Association of Congregations, the last eight (1985-93) as president. From 1985-93, he also served on the Council of the International Association for Religious Freedom, the oldest international interfaith organization in the world. Throughout his career, he has been outspoken in his opposition to the death penalty and his support for women's rights, gay and lesbian rights, and racial justice, having organized, participated in demonstrations, and written extensively on behalf of all four causes.

Schulz is a member of the International Advisory Committee for the Robert F. Kennedy Human Rights Award, is chair of the board of Meadville/Lombard Theological School at the University of Chicago, and chair of the board of the Unitarian Universalist Service Committee. He has served on the boards of People for the American Way, Planned Parenthood Federation of America, the Communitarian Network, and Americans United for the Separation of Church and State, among others.

Schulz is a Phi Beta Kappa graduate of Oberlin College and holds a M.A. in philosophy from the University of Chicago, a M.A. in theology, and the Doctor of Ministry (D.Min.) from Meadville/Lombard Theological School. He was awarded an honorary D.D. from Meadville/Lombard in 1987 and an honorary L.H.D. from Nova Southeastern University in 1995.


 * 2006 / 2007 Fellow, Carr Center
 * Director, National Committee for Responsive Philanthropy

Episodes

 * In 1999, Schulz quietly accepted the humanitarian bombing of Serbia.  AI's releases afterwards didn't oppose the U.S. State Dept.'s controverted justifications for the campaign against Serbia.

Books & aritcles

 * In Our Own Best Interest: How Defending Human Rights Benefits Us All (Beacon Press, 2001)
 * W. Schulz, Security Is a Human Right, Too, New York Times, April 18, 2004. Typical rendition of AI human rights mantra, but now suggesting that this has to be tempered during the "war on terrorism".  Curious aspect of Schulz argument has to do with the unwillingness to look at the cause of "terrorism".